Echinacea plant named ‘IFECSSWHIB’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Echinacea  plant named ‘IFECSSWHIB’, characterized by its relatively compact and upright plant habit; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; strong flowering stems; numerous single-type inflorescences with white-colored ray florets and bright yellow green-colored receptacle spines; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Echinacea hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘IFECSSWHIB’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR & APPLICANT/ASSIGNEE

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instant plant was filed by the Applicant/Assignee, Innoflora Plant Breeding B.V. of Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands on Nov. 24, 2022, application number 2022/2660. Foreign priority is not claimed to this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Echinacea plant, botanically known as Echinacea hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘IFECSSWHIB’.

The new Echinacea plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new vigorous and freely flowering Echinacea plants with large inflorescences with unique and attractive ray floret coloration.

The new Echinacea plant originated from an open-pollination in July, 2018 in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands of a proprietary selection of Echinacea hybrida identified as code number 009-15-K001-02, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown proprietary selection of Echinacea hybrida, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Echinacea plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands in August, 2019.

Asexual reproduction of the new Echinacea plant by in vitro meristem culture in a controlled environment in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands since September, 2019 as shown that the unique features of this new Echinacea plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Echinacea have been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘IFECSSWHIB’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘IFECSSWHIB’ as a new and distinct Echinacea plant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact and upright plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Strong flowering stems.     -   5. Numerous single-type inflorescences with white-colored ray         florets and bright yellow green-colored receptacle spines.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Echinacea can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Echinacea differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Echinacea are more compact than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Echinacea have stronger and healthier         foliage than plants the female parent selection.     -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Echinacea have about         three whorls of ray florets whereas inflorescences of plants of         the female parent selection have two whorls of ray florets.

Plants of the new Echinacea can be compared to plants of Echinacea purpurea ‘Virgin’ disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,684. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Echinacea differ primarily from plants of ‘Virgin’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Echinacea are more compact than plants of         ‘Virgin’.     -   2. Plants of the new Echinacea flower later than plants of         ‘Virgin’.     -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Echinacea have about         three whorls of ray florets whereas inflorescences of plants of         ‘Virgin’ have a single whorl of ray florets.

Plants of the new Echinacea can also be compared to plants of Echinacea purpurea ‘IFECSSWP’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 34,455. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Echinacea differ primarily from plants of ‘IFECSSWP’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Echinacea are taller than plants of         ‘IFECSSWP’.     -   2. Plants of the new Echinacea have larger inflorescences than         plants of ‘IFECSSWP’.     -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Echinacea have about         three whorls of ray florets whereas inflorescences of plants of         ‘IFECSSWP’ have four whorls of ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Echinacea plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Echinacea plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1 ) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘IFECSSWHIB’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet (FIG. 2 ) is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘IFECSSWHIB’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet (FIG. 3 ) is a close-up view of typical leaves of ‘IFECSSWHIB’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the summer in 19-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Heerhugowaard, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typically used in commercial Echinacea production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18 C to 34 C and night temperatures ranged from 8 C to 18 C. Plants were 16 weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Echinacea hybrida ‘IFECSSWHIB’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Echinacea hybrida             identified as code number 009-15-K001-02, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Unknown proprietary selection of Echinacea             hybrida, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By in vitro meristem culture.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About twelve days at             temperatures about 20 C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 16 days at             temperatures about 20 C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 36 days             at temperatures about 18 C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 42 days             at temperatures about 18 C.         -   Root description.—Thick, fleshy; typically white in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; sparse. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial;             relatively compact and upright plant habit; oblong in             overall shape; freely basal branching habit with about             eleven primary lateral branches and about 15 secondary             lateral branches developing per plant; moderately vigorous             to vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height.—About 54.2 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 44.2 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 29.7 cm. Diameter: About             6 mm. Internode length: About 4 cm. Aspect: Erect to about             15 degrees from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Moderately to densely pubescent; strigose. Color: Close to             144B with blotches, close to 143A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Basal and cauline leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple.             Length: About 12.9 cm. Width: About 5.3 cm. Shape: Ovate to             narrowly ovate. Apex: Narrowly acute. Base: Short attenuate.             Margin: Irregular and shallow indentations, or broadly             dentate to shallow and coarsely serrate; mostly non-undulate             to slightly and coarsely undulate. Texture and luster, upper             surface: Moderately to densely pubescent, strigose and             rough; slightly glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface:             Moderately pubescent, strigose and rough; slightly glossy.             Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves, upper             surface: Close to a blend of 137B and 146A. Developing             leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully expanded leaves,             upper surface: Close to 137A; venation, close to 144C. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation,             close to 148C.         -   Petioles, basal and cauline leaves.—Length: About 6.6 cm.             Diameter: About 2.5 mm by 4.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Sparsely pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to             137B; midvein, close to 145B. Color, lower surface: Close to             138B; midvein, close to 146D. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Single-type inflorescences with ray and disc             florets arranged on a capitulum; inflorescences positioned             upright above the foliar plane on mostly upright and strong             peduncles.         -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit with about 26             developing and fully developed inflorescences per plant.         -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant; sweet and pleasant.         -   Time to flower.—Plants flower continuously from late June             into late September in The Netherlands.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good             substance for about three weeks on the plant; inflorescences             persistent.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 3.5 cm. Diameter: About             5.1 cm. Shape: Obovate with a flattened top. Color: Immature             involucral bracts, close to 137B and NN137A; immature ray             florets, close to 150D with apices, close to 144B to 144C;             immature receptacle spines, close to 146A and 146B.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 10.7 cm. Depth (height):             About 4 cm. Disc diameter: About 3.8 cm.         -   Receptacles.—Height: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 cm.             Shape: Broadly ovate. Color: Close to 156D and 157B.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 50 to 90             arranged in about three whorls at the base of the             receptacle. Length: About 4.7 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm.             Shape: Elliptic to narrowly obovate; slightly carinate.             Apex: Emarginate to shallow praemorse. Base: Cuneate.             Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous; moderately velvety; matte. Texture and luster,             lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Aspect:             About 22.5 degrees from horizontal. Color: When opening,             upper surface: Close to 157D. When opening, lower surface:             Close to 157C to 157D with apices, close to 145A. Fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 155A; venation, close to             155A; color becoming closer to 157C with subsequent             development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 155A and             apices, close to 150A; venation, similar to lamina color;             color becoming closer to 157C to 157D with venation and             apices, close to 144B with subsequent development.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 400 per             inflorescence, arranged spirally at the center of the             inflorescence. Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm.             Shape: Tubular; proximal 12.5% free, not fused. Apex: Acute.             Base: Fused. Margin, free-part: Entire. Texture and luster,             inner and outer surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; moderately             glossy. Color, when opening, inner and outer surfaces: Apex:             Close to 143B. Mid-section and base: Close to 145C. Color,             fully opened, inner and outer surfaces: Apex: Close to 144B.             Mid-section: Close to 145D. Base: Close to 150C.         -   Receptacle spines.—Quantity: One per disc floret; about 400             per inflorescence. Shape: Acicular. Apex: Acute. Base:             Attenuate. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy.             Color: Apex: Close to 145A. Mid-section: Close to 144A.             Base: Close to 145D.         -   Involucral bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 100             arranged in about four whorls. Length: About 1 cm. Width:             About 3.5 mm. Shape: Narrowly ovate; moderately to strongly             reflexed. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire.             Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;             slightly glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface:             Moderately pubescent; margins, densely pubescent; matte.             Color, upper surface: Close to 137B; towards the apex and             margins, close to NN137A. Color, lower surface: Close to             138B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 19.1 cm. Diameter: About 5 cm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Densely             pubescent; strigose. Color: Close to 145A with blotches,             close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium (present on ray and disc             florets): Quantity per floret: Five. Filament length: About             4 mm. Filament color: Close to 145C. Anther length: About             3.5 mm. Anther shape: Linear. Anther color: Close to a blend             of N200A and 203A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:             Close to 21A. Gynoecium (present only on disc florets):             Quantity per floret: One. Pistil length: About 7 mm. Stigma             shape: Decurrent, unequal. Stigma color: Close to 152D.             Style length: About 5.5 mm. Style color: Close to 145C.             Ovary color: Close to 157C. Seeds and fruits: To date, seed             and fruit development have not been observed on plants of             the new Echinacea. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Echinacea     have not been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Echinacea plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Echinacea have exhibited good     garden performance and to tolerate rain and wind. Plants of the new     Echinacea have been observed to tolerate high temperatures of about     35 C and to be hardy to USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 4. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Echinacea plant named ‘IFECSSWHIB’ as illustrated and described. 